McNamara meets with Castro (Fog of War)

8bitRicky

Why leaders watch it

McNamara recalls how close the Cuban Missile Crisis came to nuclear war, illustrating misjudgment and communication risks in high-stakes leadership.

A two-minute clip from the documentary The Fog of War in which Robert McNamara recalls Fidel Castro explaining how close the world came to nuclear war during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Takeaways

• Leaders misjudged the opponent's intentions
• Near-misses came from poor information
• Empathy for adversaries prevents escalation

Topics: Crisis & high-stakes leadership, Decision making & mental models, Military & command leadership

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